Bunny Hunting
by bluesimageburgundy
Summary: Season 5 Amnesia Stefan/Steroline fic. Caroline takes Stefan bunny hunting to remind him how it's done. He starts asking questions about their past.


Caroline watched with muted excitement as Stefan lunged for a gray rabbit. Then covered her mouth with her hand and held back a fit of giggles as he missed and fell flat on his face on the forest floor as the rabbit hopped away. He groaned in embarrassment and frustration.

"Tell me again why we're doing this," he complained, lifting himself from the ground and dusting leaves and twigs from his white t-shirt.

"Because," she said, absentmindedly picking a leaf from his chest and smoothing out the fabric, trying not to notice the hard muscles of his chest just beneath, "This is what you do."

"I murder bunnies?" he asked, raising his eyebrows.

"Yes," she stated, "You do murder bunnies. Because the alternative is murdering blonde co-eds."

Stefan nodded reluctantly and then cracked a small smile.

"You don't have to be out here helping me," he said, suddenly shy, "I'm sure there's something else you'd rather be doing right now."

Caroline thought for a moment before replying, honestly, "No, not really."

She smiled at him over her shoulder as she walked past him and noticed the way he smiled back and then looked at his feet. Her dynamic with him without his memories was a lot different than what she was used to. Suddenly, he was nervous around her and completely focused on her. And the most surprising part was how much she enjoyed it and how right it felt.

"Let's try again," she said.

"You're the boss," he replied, catching sight of a squirrel and quickly vamping over to grab it. It wriggled in his hands for a moment before he dropped it and watched as it scurried off out of sight.

"What was that?!" Caroline scolded, "You had it and you let it go."

"I know!" he said, wiping his hands on his jeans, "I couldn't do it, it was just…too disgusting."

Caroline laughed and shook her head.

"You really are a lot different now," she said.

"How was I before?" Stefan asked, sitting on a fallen tree.

Caroline sat next to him.

"Well," she began, "For one thing, you didn't think twice about eating all of the forest creatures like some kind of monster in a fairy tale."

Stefan chuckled, "Okay, what else?"

Caroline thought, "Well, you were very serious, very broody, COMPLETELY in love with Elena."

Stefan looked at her curiously.

"What?" she asked.

"Nothing," he said, "It's just…the thing with Elena. How could I still be in love with her after what happened with her and my brother?"

Caroline looked at him with soft eyes, this completely blank, innocent, naive version of her troubled best friend. And all she could find for him was honesty.

"You know," she said, "I've wondered that myself. You gave up everything to save your brother and, in the end, you lose the love of your life to him. It makes you wonder…"

"What's the point of being good?" he finished, catching her eyes.

She let out a puff of air and smiled sadly, "Yeah, I guess. But…that's just who you are. You ARE good. And you love without needing anything in return and you're a great brother and a great friend and….you're just so…good."

Stefan smiled at the flood of compliments and looked down to where his hand rested next to hers on the log. He brushed his pinky against hers.

Caroline watched in fascination as the slight contact of his skin on hers made her stomach flutter.

"That's another thing that surprises me…." Stefan said, startling her. She looked up at him, anxious for what he was about to say.

"What's that?" she asked, her voice a whisper.

"That that's all we are…" he said, "Friends…"

Caroline's stomach flutters quickly became a dull flop and a catch in her breathing. She swallowed hard.

"Yep," she said, faux casually, "Best friends, though, don't forget the "best" part."

He wouldn't be deterred though, "And that's all we ever were?"

Caroline felt a nervous sweat creeping up her spine at the direction of the conversation, but the excitement outweighed the fear.

"No, well, I mean, yeah," she stammered, "There was a time when you first showed up that I thought you were hot and I, well… but you only had eyes for Elena, so," Caroline chuckled nervously, fiddling with a twig as she spoke.

She could feel Stefan's eyes on her but she didn't look up. This afternoon hunting trip had taken a surprising turn and bringing to the surface a lot of feelings she hadn't realized she had.

"Well," he said, breaking the silence and scooting closer to her, "Obviously, what I mostly am…is an idiot."

Caroline laughed and shoved her shoulder playfully into his. Their eyes caught for a tension-filled moment before she quickly stood.

"Let's get back to it," she said, cheerily, "You need to eat something before you get too hungry. We wouldn't like you when you're hungry."

Stefan chuckled and stood, reluctantly, following her through the forest. The sound of their boots crunching in the leaves filling the otherwise silent void.

"Shhh," Caroline said, "There's one." She pointed at a rabbit in the distance.

Stefan narrowed his eyes at it and then looked at Caroline with a pout.

"You can do this," she said quietly, "I know you can. I believe in you."

She placed a kiss to his cheek, surprisingly them both. He smiled as she pulled away and quickly raced toward his target. He drank the creature dry and tossed it aside, wiping his hand across his mouth.

"Well, how was it?" Caroline asked, walking toward him.

"….disgusting," he answered, cringing.

Caroline giggled, "Yeah, tell me about it. BUT, you did it."

"Because of you," he said, serious again, the gratitude in his voice making her heart swell.

Caroline nodded and smiled, accepting the compliment.

"So, do I get another kiss or…?" he teased.

"Not with bunny breath, you don't!" she joked.

He laughed and the way his eyes crinkled at the corners and his whole face lit up made Caroline feel light and happy. She ignored the nagging feeling in the pit of her stomach that told her that she was beginning to have a problem. That she was growing increasingly addicted to the touch of his fingers on hers and the way that he looked at her now, like she was the center of his universe.

And the fear that it was all fleeting for him, but wouldn't be for her. But for right now, she would ignore all that and enjoy hunting and laughing with her temporarily happy best friend.


End file.
